vegan food in Austin TX

The Fair Bean Sausage and Potato Empanada

This breakfast empanada from the Fair Bean coffeeshop is one of my most favorite things to eat in Austin. In fact, it made my top ten list in 2010. Over the years this golden pastry has become even better tasting and more elusive. I don’t know if they don’t always have them because more people are buying them or if they just don’t make enough but I stop there all the time and usually I get lucky. For the couple minutes that I eat my empanada I am completely in a state of bliss, like a hippie at a drum circle.

When I learned that they had recently changed the recipe I started reeling with overwhelming disappointment. Why was this happening? How could I stop it? Should I start a twitter campaign or would it be better to call the manager?

It’s true, my first instinct is always to overreact. I’m sensitive!

I tried a bit of the empanada, which had always been just sausage and potatoes before, and I thought, “are these carmalized onions”? “Are there slices of almonds”?

It wasn’t until I after I finished that I thought, “Is this new version better?”

I had another one the next weekend, and I can now tell you, yes it is an improvement on perfection.

This is the flakiest crust in town, plus they have Horchata Lattes! And Celeste’s Best Cookies! I love the Fair Bean.